Acre Group was created to bring greenery from the farm to the urban jungle.
Lawyer-turned-restaurater Luke Heard's latest go-to shop Acrette in Chippendale sells takeaway coffees, baked goods and snacks, and is part of a broader expansion for the Acre brand.
As one of three branches of the hospitality group spanning Sydney and Melbourne, it is underpinned by Luke's sustainable philosophy.
"With our glasshouse production techniques as well, I have always liked the idea of showing people that we could develop really tasty food and a different way of doing it," he says.
Despite the closure of their original Camperdown outlet in May, the company is delivering on one of its most ambitious projects yet: after turning a parking lot into a lush farm-inspired eatery.
The opening of Acre in Artarmon last October added a splash of green to an industrial estate, as well as growing and serving its own produce onsite.
Acre in Artarmon is one of the company's most ambitious ventures. Source: SBS Sandra Fulloon
“Acre's always been about creating warm hospitality in more natural environments, and we hope that this location has taken that to another level for us,” Luke says.
"Historically there was a lot of light industry here. And over time that's changing, but there is actually still a fair bit of concrete around Artarmon. So it's good to add some more green elements."
Boxes of fruit and vegetables line the path into the café, where tomatoes are climbing up trellises, strawberries sit ripe for the picking and banana trees inch taller by the day.
Inside the high-ceilinged industrial space sits a bright hydroponics glasshouse growing leafy greens and herbs.
And kitchen scraps don’t go to waste either. They are fed to chooks housed in a shed at the kids’ play area.
It’s all part of Acre's sustainable business model that Luke wants to inspire others to follow.
Acre's hydroponic glass houses. Source: SBS
“I hope that people feel that they can make changes in their own way, even if they just want to try something a little bit different,” he says.
It’s difficult to believe the farm-inspired eatery what was once a dull concrete parking lot. It was transformed during a $7 million shopping centre makeover that took place mid-pandemic.
“I think COVID-19 for many business owners has not just been a financial impact, it’s also been a psychological challenge that we've never ever faced before," he says.
"So, moving the chess pieces around in the business is how we've been able to survive."
Luke hopes to open a new venue by the end of this year, and one in Western Sydney in 2022.
Acre is looking to expand again this year and in 2022. Source: SBS
An he remains upbeat about the possibility of future coronavirus lockdowns.
"We'll get through it. We got through one, then we got through another one [in Melbourne] and then a third one we would get through it - whatever it takes.”
